Self-Protection Mechanisms: Colombian Rural Defenders and Communities

The situation of Colombian human rights defenders (HRDs) has for many years been one of the worst in the world. Since the official start of the Havana Peace Talks (October 2012) between the Colombian Government and the left-wing Guerrilla Group, the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Ejercito de Pueblo (FARC), the number of HRDs killed annually has risen year-on-year and remained the highest in the world in 2015.

The HRDs most targeted in these attacks have been working on victims, land and environmental issues; recently attacks have increased against those involved in peace activism and political leadership. Rural human rights defenders have suffered disproportionately from being attacked and killed.

The information in this report comes from interviews and conversations with local partners of ABColombia members and from other Colombian NGOs and some intergovernmental organisations working on the ground in Colombia. The self-protection models in this report have been developed by partners of ABColombia members.